Season Review: 1968-69

When Wilt Chamberlain got traded for the second (and final) time in his career -- this time to the Lakers -- he and the L.A. faithful had championship dreams. Yet once again, the Celtics dashed the hopes of Chamberlain (and the Lakers).

This was a season when two rookies made huge waves. The San Diego Rockets' Elvin Hayes won the scoring title after averaging 28.4 points, while Baltimore's Wes Unseld joined Chamberlain as the only players to win the MVP and Rookie of the Year in the same season. Unseld averaged 13.8 rebounds and was second only to Chamberlain with 18.2 rebounds.

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Two new franchises -- the Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks -- made their debut as expansion franchises. Walt Bellamy set a record for games played, too. Bellamy, who began the season with New York before a trade sent him to Detroit, ended up playing 88 games because the Knicks had a busier early season schedule.

The Knicks had long been a league doormat, making the playoffs just once from 1956-66. But a couple of interesting developments had occurred in New York that would have an impact down the road. Red Holzman, the former Hawks coach in Milwaukee and St. Louis, replaced Dick McGuire as Knicks coach in midseason and took the 15-22 Knicks to a 28-17 mark the rest of the way to reach the playoffs.

Rhodes Scholar Bill Bradley of Princeton, Walt Frazier of Southern Illinois and Phil Jackson of North Dakota all made their rookie debuts. And in December, the Knicks made another important addition, obtaining Dave DeBusschere from Detroit for Bellamy and Howie Komives.

Once the playoffs began, Boston and Los Angeles romped through the competition to set up The Finals. L.A. held home court advantage and, with the series tied 3-3, felt confident as Game 7 at The Forum approached. Owner Jack Kent Cooke had set up balloons in the ceiling to be released when the Lakers won it all. But Boston ended up making Los Angeles pay, thanks to a friendly bounce of a Don Nelson jump shot that all-but clinched the title.

Jerry West finished with 42 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists in the Game 7 loss and was named Finals MVP, the first and only time the award has gone to a member of the losing team. Though the Celtics had won their 11th title in 13 seasons, it wasn't all good times in Boston. Three months after winning the title, Bill Russell announced his retirement.

Team World vs. Team AfricaTeam World tops Team Africa 101-97 in an inaugural NBA Africa game highlighted by appearances from legends Hakeem Olajuwon and Dikembe Mutombo.

Remembering Bob KauffmanBob Kauffman, the first All-Star of the Buffalo Braves franchise, passed away peacefully Saturday at age 69. The Braves acquired Kauffman before the team's inaugural 1970-71 season in Buffalo, where he immediately became a star. He was a 3-time All-Star who also played with the Seattle SuperSonics, Chicago Bulls and the Atlanta Hawks.

All-Access: 2015 Basketball without Borders AfricaJust days before the historic NBA Africa Game 2015 in Johannesburg, South Africa, NBA players and coaches from Team World and Team Africa spent time with young athletes from all over the African continent, teaching basketball and life skills.